Luck of the Irish
by d0wnsiders
Summary: What starts off as a simple school paper turns into a story of struggle, love and finding a new life.[Complete]
1. School Papers

**School Papers**

It was a warm spring morning, around Mid-April. The dew was still wet on the grass, and the birds were awake, eagerly chirping. Everything seemed calm as the sun silently rose, but not everyone was so eager to the environment of awareness. Carly Ryan squinted as her dad opened the shades. She quickly tossed the covers over her head and rolled over.

"Carly, sweetie, wake up. You need to start your history project." Her dad whispered to her.

"Dad, I don't even know where to begin." She muttered.

"Well, getting out of bed will be a good start and get dressed; your grandfather is coming over."

As Carly slowly crawled out of bed and ran a brush through her wavy brown hair, and tossed it into a ponytail. She then scrambled to put clothes on her petite frame. She actually got ready with some haste because as much as she hated history, she loved her grandfather. Carly's grandfather, grandpa Tommy, was quite active for a ninety-five year old. He strut without a cane, chewed with all of his teeth, and had eyes that sparkled the brightest blue. Just like Carly's. He walked through the door and was ready to greet his favorite granddaughter with a hug and a kiss.

"How's my little princess doing?' He said with a chuckle.

"She could be better." She mumbled.

"Why is that?"

"I have this stupid senior history project due tomorrow. I have to interview someone who has experienced an important event in history and write a paper on it. And of course, just about everyone is doing either when John F. Kennedy was shot or September eleventh, so I need something completely original."

Carly's grandfather seemed to fall into a deep concentration. His brow furrowed, he rubbed his knuckles, and softly cleared his throat.

"Shawn, come here for a moment." Carly's dad came over to her grandfather, and listened closely as his father spoke in a hush tone. Shawn gave a small nod and turned to look at his daughter.

"Honey, we have the perfect person for you to interview."

"Who?" She asked.

"Your great-grandmother, her name is Leah." said Shawn.

"I have a great-grandmother? How old is she? I mean, dad, your pushing fifty-seven."

"So, you keep reminding me." He laughed. "Believe it or not, she's a hundred and thirteen years old. She is one of the oldest around. She used to be the social butterfly, but I am afraid that old age is finally getting the best of her. She's living in a nursing home, just a few miles out of town."

"How come you've never told me about her?"

"Well, she used to be a social butterfly, but as she begun to get older, she became quieter, distant. She kept her thoughts to herself, and soon, she stopped speaking. We did not know what to do with her. We felt it was best to keep her safe, in a place where her privacy could be respected."

"But dad, if she doesn't speak, how am I supposed to get an interview?"

"Well sweetie, we're kind of taking a gamble on this. She has seen many things, we are hoping that maybe, she chooses you to share her experiences with. Your mom was not about to crack her and neither could your grandmother. Maybe we just need a true Ryan female to open her up." 

Carly rubbed her hands up and down her face. She needed an interview, but at what cost. What would she have to do to get her great-grandmother, someone she had not even known about, to talk.

"Alright." She sighed. "Where is this Nursing home?"


	2. New Meetings

**New Meetings**

Carly's head slumped against the window. She tuned out the oldies music on the radio and the small talk her father and grandfather were making. She was still in shock to find out that there was another member of the family. Moreover, she was a member of the family who had been around for a hundred and thirteen years.

The car finally came to a halt. She had not realized that they had parked. They walked through the parking lot and came to a small tan building, with dozens of flowers and trees. Carly paid no attention to the name of the building as she walked through the automatic doors. Her father received warm greetings as he walked up to the information desk.

"Why, hello Mr. Ryan. It sure has been a while; we've missed you around here." Exclaimed a woman with glowing cheeks and curly blonde hair.

"Why thank you Missy. I am glad to see you are still working here. It has been far too long."

Carly took a seat in the lobby, alongside her grandfather. He gave her a small smile and a kiss on her forehead.

"Do you remember when you were younger and your father and I would always say we were going on fishing trips, but mysteriously never caught anything?"

"Yes."

"We came here instead, to see your great-grandmother. We wanted to take you to see her, but we were afraid that she would give a blank reaction, and we did not want to frighten you at such a young age. My mother was such a kind-hearted woman. She was a sneaky one, when I tried to make mischief as a boy, it always seemed as if she were three steps ahead of me. Every time I would try to sneak a sweet from the kitchen, she would catch me." He said, as his eyes glistened.

Carly could not help but smile at his reminiscing. She could not help but wonder what it would be like when she came face to face with her great-grandmother. Would she be greeted with a smile, a scowl, or a sleeping elder? Her father shook her from her brainstorms.

"Missy said we can go in now."

Carly followed her father and grandfather through a few hallways until they came to a room, located in the back of the house. They opened the door, and quietly stepped inside. Carly took in her surroundings. The small coffee table and dark suede couch, the old-faded photographs of her grandfather, the cracked but clean tiles, the small kitchen nook, and a white door, opened just a smidge. She followed through the door and into a small, neat bedroom. Her eyes lay upon the aging woman in the bed. Her skin was wrinkled, her hair thin and white, her sullen face being wrapped with a air tube, her small pale hands, one of which carrying an IV needle, a blank look on her face, and her sad brown eyes cast out the window.

Carly's grandfather and father stepped foreword to greet her.

"Hi mom, its Shawn and I, remember? We wanted to see how you were feeling?"

"You don't look a day over eighty." Joked my dad, in a failed attempt to get some kind of reaction out of her. "Grandma, this is Carly, your great-grand-daughter. She was hoping to be acquainted with you, and maybe her some of your stories. She's been looking foreword to seeing you."

Carly could not help but laugh at her father's small fib. How could she have been looking foreword to meeting her great-grandmother, when she did not learn about her existence until today? Carly was gently nudged towards the bed. She could not help but just stare at her great-grandmother. She heard the rustling of her father and grandfather in the background.

"Sweetie, your grandpa and I have some errands to run. We will just leave you two alone and we will come get you in about an hour. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call Missy."

As Carly heard the door click behind her, she sighed to herself. She wondered if Missy could bring a miracle.


	3. Eyes of the Ocean

**Eyes of the Ocean**

Carly pulled a chair in from the kitchen and set it next to the bed. She carefully took out all the supplies she thought she would need: a notebook, pen, pencil, tape recorder, extra cassette tapes. She thought she was going to get an interview, but it seemed that all she was going to get was silence.

"Um…Hi." She mumbled. "I'm Carly, your great-granddaughter."

No response.

"You see, I have this senior history project due, we need to interview someone who has experienced something that could be considered a critical point in history. I think my dad believed that you would be able to help me, but I can see you obviously don't want to be bothered."

Leah's eyes slowly shifted to Carly's face. Stunned, Carly allowed her notebook and writing utensils to fall from her lap. She quickly bent over to retrieve them.

"You know what, I'm sorry for even coming here and disturbing you, you obviously want your rest. So, I'll just wait in the living room…"

Carly's ramblings came to a halt as she felt one small hand upon her cheek. Her face turned to look at her great-grandmother. Brown eyes bore into her blue ones as another hand crept to her other cheek. Her great-grandmothers hands seemed as cold as an iceberg. The hands lifted her face slightly, and moved her face from side to side. Leah's lips parted and a small breath of air escaped.

"You have the eyes of the ocean." Leah whispered, "You have his eyes."

Carly was completely flabbergasted. Did her great-grandmother really just speak? After eighteen years of silence, Carly was shocked that she had heard her first words. Leah's gentle hands retreated from Carly's face.

"Please dear," She breathed. "Go into my closet, fetch me my box."

Leah's eyes once again gazed out the window. Carly jumped to her feet and made her way to the closet. She slid open the door and dropped to her knees. She crawled inside to search for the box. She could not find one. She went back to her chair and picked it up, setting it outside the closet opening. Carly surprised herself, she did not realize how determined she would be to achieve her great-grandmother's quest. She searched along the shelves of the closest, looking desperately for some kind of box. Just when she was about to give up, she saw it, hidden in the back corner.

Carly reached as far as she could and gripped the worn box. She carefully climbed down, and moved her chair back by the side of the bed. She placed the box onto her great-grandmother's lap and removed the cover.

"Place it here." Leah whispered, motioning to the other side of the bed.

Carly gently retrieved the items from the box. There were crumbled and faded papers she put on the nightstand. She also picked up and worn and torn brown sweater. The sweater seemed much too big for her great-grandmother. It also smelled of mildew and had a few holes; nevertheless, she placed it by her great-grandmother's side. Finally, there was a small bag within the box.

"Open it." Leah softly commanded.

Carly pulled open the strings and opened her palm. As she tipped the bag, a small silver ring tied to a worn string fell out. She gazed at the ring with intense curiosity. She then noticed her great-grandmother's open palm. She placed the necklace into her hand and watched as it slowly gripped the necklace. Leah closed her eyes, and she gave a soft cry of relief. When she opened her eyes again, they seemed to fill with a newfound emotion. A small, simple smile played upon her lips, and her shaky voice spoke with a little more strength.

"Thank you dear. I had begun to believe that I had lost this. So, my dear Carly, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, and your father is right. I can be of help to you."

"They told me that you have seen many things. Anything that you are willing to share, I would be open to hearing." Carly spoke eagerly.

Leah made a noise, which almost sounded like a laugh.

"My dear, I have seen many things. I have seen wars, I have seen peace, I have seen despair, I have seen depression, I have seen many joys, I have seen many miracles, and I have also seen death." She took a shaky pause. "My dear Carly, I have a very personal story that I would love to share with you, if you are open to hear it."

"Yes, of course!" Carly excitedly replied. She quickly slipped the cassette tape into the recorder.

"How old are you my dear?"

"I'm eighteen."

"Ah, I see. My story takes place when I was your age as well. Many unexpected things happened when I was eighteen." Leah knew that the story she was about to share with her great-granddaughter would be the first time she ever told someone what happened when she was eighteen. She knew that some parts of her story she would have to keep to herself. Even though she knew some things would remain quiet, she knew she could not prevent those memories from returning to her. With a small breath, Leah closed her eyes, and the memories quickly returned to her, as she begun to tell her tale.


	4. Into the Past and Onto the Streets

**Into the Past and Onto the Streets**

Leah squinted as the sun hit her brown eyes. She had just finished tying her wavy brown hair into French braid pigtails as the musty smell of garbage entered her nose. That's how it was in the alleyways of Queenstown, muggy and smelly. She could hear the noise of the congested streets; everyone spoke of a 'Ship of Dreams' taking passengers to America. Leah would have loved to go back to her true home, to find a fresh start, but she knew it was impossible. Leah was completely broke, with nothing but a small rucksack filled with scraps of clothes, and whatever she could pickpocket.

That's right, she'd admit it, Leah was a poor, eighteen year old orphan, who pick pocketed in order to survive. She found no shame in it. She needed a way to survive. No one in London was going to take pity on her. The woman though she was nothing more than a disgusting street rat and the men would only call upon her after many brandies, for other services. She denied them of course. She may have been alone in this world, but she still had some class. She would not degrade herself for the pleasures of unhappy rich men.

Leah sighed at the thought of another dull day in London. She kept clean for someone who lived on the streets, she did not smell, her teeth were surprisingly healthy, but her hands did get sweaty and dirty from time to time. She whipped her small, pale hands along the skirt of her knee length dress and straightened her oversize male coat. Her dress was thin and frayed and the coat had dust marks, but she did not have anything else. She was thankful that she did not have holes in her shoes; of course, she had lifted her worn shoes last week. She hoisted her sack over one shoulder, and made her way to the busy street.

There were cars honking nosily, people dashing from stand to stand, rummaging for last minute supplies, and families from many different countries talking in their native tongue. Leah casually made her way to a crowded stand, where the owner was shouting at many costumers furiously. She quickly ducked in between two bodies and snatched two apples. She quickly rushed away from the scene, stuffed the apples into her pocket and casually made her way where the people were flocking.

Her innocent brown eyes lay upon the vast ship. It astounded her. She wondered how a ship that large could possibly float along the ocean. She watched attentively as families and couples boarded the ship. She envied them so much. She hated Queenstown, it was not her home. Sure, it was easy for her to get around from time to time, but this was no life. She wished to pick up the pieces, to start a new.

The sun rose high, it had to be around 1:30. People began to hurry upon the ship, past the shouting officers. Leah watched with curiosity as each family endured a lice test. Some passengers passed the test and some did not. Then, inspiration struck her. She snuck pass a couple families and found one exiting the ramp. They seemed to be complaining about their unavailability to board. Apparently, they had been found with lice and the whole family was refused passage. Leah used the father's outbursts as the perfect opportunity to reach into his pocket and grab his ticket.

It was just about 1:50 and the docks were being pulled in. Leah quickly hurried behind two men who seemed to be straggling aboard.

"Anyway, we don't have lice; we're Americans. Both of us." She heard the man with stringy sandy-blonde hair say.

They were allowed to hop on, and when the looked at her, she simply held up her ticket and pointed to the two men who just boarded. The officers sighed and granted her access. She could not believe it. She was actually aboard the RMS Titanic. She was on the Ship of Dreams. She was finally going home.

She fumbled through many doors, and through many people. She searched diligently to the spot she'd be bunking for the next few nights. Leah didn't even care that she was in steerage, she was going to America. She hoped that once she arrived, she would have better luck.

She climbed down several staircases, and hit what finally seemed to be rock bottom of the ship. Families and couples spread throughout the hallway, searching for their room number. Leah was finally about to locate hers, and she quickly threw herself inside. It was tiny, but she didn't mind, she was used to cramped quarters. However, a thought soon occurred to Leah. The ticket she picked up belonged to one of a family of four. That meant that she had the whole room to herself.

She placed her stuff down on the lowest bunk, removed her jacket, and gave a small sigh. Her luck was getting better already.


	5. Trouble with Authority

**Trouble With Authority**

The great horn sounded and cheers could be heard from all over the Queenstown area. Leah quickly left her stuff in her newly acquired room and dashed to the deck. It seemed as if millions of people were bidding them farewell. She grinned and waved just like all the other passengers. There were cries and tears of joy all along the railing.

Leah couldn't help but run closer to the front of the ship. She peered over the railing as the ship begun to pick up speed. She was on her way home, and she couldn't believe it.

She spent the next few hours just roaming the ship. She enjoyed taking in the sights before her; the laughing children, the wandering artist with his sketchbook, the dogs that would occasionally be walked, and of course, the ocean.

To a lot of people, the ocean seemed dull. It was blue, wet and all over the place. Leah, however, found it beautiful, especially in the morning. She thought there was nothing more beautiful than a sunrise over the ocean. It reminded her of a few years ago, when she would wake up extra early to watch the sunrise with her mother. But that was before things began to change.

Soon, Leah began to feel that familiar hollow feeling in her stomach. With a sigh, she left the deck and began to make her way to her cabin. She still had her apples from before. However, on the way down, the smell of the first class food caught her nose. Carts of the prepared food were being moved in and out of the halls.

The sights of all the food was clearly an eye soar. There were steaks, potatoes, and baskets of rolls. Leah tried to put it out of her mind, but and abandoned cart, holding some rolls caught her eye. She quickly looked around. No one, the hall seemed completely abandoned.

'This is almost too easy.' She thought to herself, and it was.

As she snuck past the cart, grabbing two rolls, she heard a door from behind her swing open. Panicking, she dropped one of the rolls, and put some speed in her step. Quickly snagging a bite of the other roll she had, she heard a booming voice from behind her.

"Hey! You! What do you think your doing?"

Leah refused to look back as she took quicker steps. The voice continued though,

"I said stop you! Get back here you wretched girl!"

She still refused to acknowledge him. Suddenly, a forceful hand grabbed Leah's free wrist.

"Now listen you…" before he could finish that sentence, Leah forcefully stuffed the bitten roll into his mouth, kicked his shin and made a mad dash for the stairs.

Leah could hear him gagging and swearing at her, but she didn't care. She needed to keep running, she refused to be caught. She dodged a few people here and there, but could still hear the man's footsteps from behind her.

"Get back here you dirty little thief!"

Leah ran down another flight of stairs and jumped at the bottom.

'This guy just won't quit.'

She turned a sharp corner and ran through the hall.

'Almost there.' She thought.

She turned another sharp corner quicker than the last one. However, this time, about mid-turn, she hit something, or someone.

Leah had no idea what hit her. On impact, it felt like a large brick wall, but on landing, it felt like a large mattress with arms. Leah had the wind completely knocked out of her, but someone was trying to get her back onto her knees.

"You alright, love?" Said a thick-Irish accent.

"I think so." Leah whispered as she looked up to see two gorgeous blue eyes. "…Yes" She mumbled breathlessly.

The strange man pulled her to her feet. It was then that she was able to take him all in. Besides his amazing blue-ocean eyes, he had a bit of scruff to his face, curly chestnut hair with a brown bowler hat on top, he wore a brown jacket and a large smile. Leah could smell the cigarette smoke on his breath, normally that bothered her, but for some reason, she found that she didn't mind so much.

"Steady there." He said with a chuckle. "I'm Tommy Ryan."

"…Hi…" She whispered, and then cleared her throat. "I'm…"

But before she could answer, she felt herself being wrenched away and a death grip around the top of her arm.


	6. Innocent Bystander

**Innocent Bystander**

Leah grimaced as the officer squeezed on her arm.

"Now I have you, you dirty rotten thief." Grunted the large officer.

The man who had just introduced himself as 'Tommy Ryan' looked extremely puzzled.

"Oi, what'd ya think your doing. You can't just go grabbing girls like that."

"This 'girl' is nothing but a no good thief."

Leah couldn't help but let a whimper escape as he gripped harder.

"And who the hell are you?" Barked the Officer.

"I'm Tommy Ryan, and this girl has been with me this whole time Officer…"

"Phillips. John Phillips. And what do mean with you. I've seen her with my own two eyes. She's nothing but a no good lying thief." He yelled, shaking Leah. "I bet she doesn't even have a ticket, where is it, huh?"

"It's in my room." Leah winced.

"A likely story." Officer Phillips exclaimed.

"Officer, if she says it's in her room, then it's in her room. And like I said, she's been with me, so your accusations are clearly false. But if you like, we can bring this up with the captain. I'm sure manhandling a female passenger will be a reasonable excuse for your behavior." Tommy Ryan interrupted.

Officer Phillips growled and released her arm forcefully, causing Leah to fall into Tommy's chest. Tommy's arm quickly snaked their way around her in a secure grip.

"Fine, she can go. But don't think I won't be watching you closely. No vandal has ever passed by my eye, my records perfect and I intend to keep it that way." He warned.

Leah sighed in relief as she heard Officer Phillip's fleeting footsteps. She then became very aware of the arms that still held her. Her cheeks were a slight hint of pink as she pulled away from Tommy.

"Thanks, for standing up for me." Leah said shakily.

"It wasn't a problem at all." He grinned. "Why was that Officer giving you so much trouble?"

"Uh…who knows?" She mumbled, turning a slight shade of pink.

"Well, now that that's over with, would you like to accompany me to the top deck? I hear it's supposed to be a lovely night out."

"Um…Thanks, but I think I should be heading in now. It's been quite an exciting day."

"Can I at least walk you to your door then? What kind of an Irish gentleman would I be if I couldn't even do that?" He smirked.

"Sure." Leah whispered.

The two of them walked in silence back to Leah's room. There were a few twists and turns, but all in all, it was a quick.

"Well, thank you again for before." Leah stammered.

"Anytime. Just let me know, maybe I can rescue you again." Tommy joked.

Leah turned to quickly hide in her room, but Tommy stopped her.

"Wait, I don't believe I caught your name."

"Leah. Leah O'Malley."

"Well, Leah O'Malley," He said taking her hand in his. "Until the next time you need saving." And he gently kissed her hand. Leah gave a small smile and disappeared inside her room. She held her hand against her chest, her heart was pounding and she could feel that her cheeks were hot. She put her back against her door and allowed her knees to buckle. Soon though, her smile faded as reality set in.

"Sadly Tommy Ryan, no one can save me."


	7. Life: Or Something Like It

**Life: Or Something Like It**

Leah tiredly stretched as she awoke the next morning. Last night was still a complete blur to her. Almost getting caught by that Officer was too close for comfort, and that stranger, Tommy Ryan, helping her like that. She couldn't believe it; nevertheless, she forced herself out of bed and tried to prepare herself for the new day ahead of her. She pulled on clothes and left her hair loose and in waves. That was when she noticed a small note slipped under her door.

'If you find yourself with a moment to spare, meet me on the top deck, damsel.'

Leah was confused by the note, but decided to obey its orders regardless. She sluggishly climbed the stairs all the way to the top deck. She searched around, hoping to find the person who delivered the note. She soon felt a tap on her shoulder, and Leah quickly spun around. She was faced to face with none other than the man who 'saved' her last night.

"What took ya so long?"

"So, we meet again." She grinned.

"Indeed we do. You really didn't think I'd let you get away that easy. You're my damsel now." He joked.

"Well, thank you Mr. Ryan, but…"

"Tommy, it's Tommy, love."

"Ok, Tommy. Thank you, but I don't need to be anybody's 'damsel'." Leah quipped, turning to leave him. He quickly grabbed her wrist. His hands were coarse and calloused, but still much gentler than the Officer.

"Please, just a walk around deck. If I'm that revolting, I promise I'll leave ya alone."

Leah didn't know what it was, but for some reason, she nodded. He released her wrist and waited for her to join him by his side. They quietly strolled down by near the railing, both obviously waiting for the other to start the conversation.

"So, O'Malley, you're Irish?"

"Well, my dad was from Ireland and my mom was from America, her parents were Italian. We lived in America, that's why I don't have an accent, and that's why I can't wait to get back."

Tommy nodded, "Are your parents waiting for you back home?"

As soon as the question left his lips, Leah stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to place her hands on the railing, and cast a glance to the rolling waves. Tommy noticed her disappeared presence and turned back to where she had stopped.

"Leah…?"

"No, they're not waiting for me. They're dead, the both of them." Leah could feel Tommy stiffen next to her. She could tell he felt uncomfortable for bringing it up. "Yeah, my mom died when I was younger, as long as I could remember, she was sick, but she still had so much life in her. After she died, my father and I moved to London, he died when I was fifteen, and I've been on my own ever since. There's been some help along the way, but there's only so long a family wants to take in a stranded teenager."

"Wow, Leah, I'm so sorry, I would have never asked if…" Tommy whispered.

Leah put on a fake smile, "Hey, don't worry about it. If anything, I'm sorry for bringing down the mood. What about you, why are you going to America?"

Tommy gave a small chuckle, "Isn't it obvious? To start a new life, try and make a better home for myself. Plus, I'm going to be twenty-one; it's about time I left home. I've helped my family a lot through the years, but I need to help myself too. Don't get me wrong, I love my family. I'm even hoping to send them part of whatever I make here. It's just time, time for me to start my own life and my own family. Besides, my baby brother is growing fast, just turned thirteen, figure he could help em out a little."

Leah couldn't help but smile at his story.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"I'm eighteen. I think it's about time that I start my own life too."

Tommy smiled, and the two of them continued their walk along the ship. Leah was having a good time with Tommy. They shared funny childhood stories, imaginary plans for the future, and they made fun of all the snooty rich folk that was aboard. For the first time, in a long time, Leah was enjoying herself. Tommy made her laugh, he made her forget.


	8. A Real Party

**A Real Party**

The sun began to set, and the winds began to chill. Tommy and Leah sat together on one of the benches. Leah was snuggled underneath the warmth of Tommy's jacket, and Tommy had his arm securely around her. Leah couldn't help but revel in everything: the ship, the gorgeous sunset, being pressed against someone who seemed to care for her, despite the fact that they just met. The two of them just sat together, singing old Irish songs, and enjoying the moment.

Soon all fell quiet, and Leah couldn't help but sigh in happiness.

"Today has been amazing."

Leah could hear the deep chuckle in his throat. "All we did was walk around the boat, it was nothing special."

"You don't understand," Leach chirped, lifting her head from Tommy's shoulder and staring into his eyes. "When you live the kind of life I do, you don't see friendly people often. I needed today. It made it seem like life was worth living."

Tommy's arm seemed to instinctively pull her closer, "Life _is_ worth living."

A smile played upon her lips, "And today reminded me how good life could be."

A blissful silence fell between them again. Both didn't want to interrupt the moment. Soon, however, the sun was completely gone. The stars dazzled and twinkled high above them.

"I wish today didn't have to end." Leah whispered.

After a few moments, Tommy sat up straight, "It doesn't have to." He climbed to his feet and held out his hand. Leah cautiously put her hand in his. "Miss O'Malley, I would be honored if you accompanied this humble Irish gentleman to a real party that is being held bellow deck."

Leah couldn't help but giggle, "Why, I would be delighted Mr. Irish Gentleman."

Once again, Tommy laid a kiss on her hand, and helped her to her feet. Still wearing his jacket, the pair slowly made their decent below deck.

Within taking a few steps down, the sound of an enthusiastic bag pipe could be heard. There were people dancing and drinking all around the room. It seemed as if so many people were enjoying themselves. Leah couldn't help but feel giddy at the sight.

The two made their way around the room and found two empty chairs. Tommy had rushed off and quickly returned with two drinks. Leah accepted it gratefully. Tommy lit himself a cigarette, and the two joked and laughed at the sights all around them.

There were couples doing all different kinds of dances and jigs, there was even the tall, sandy-haired man from the previous day dancing with a six year old. Or at least, she looked six. Leah was never good at guessing ages. There was a sudden crash from behind where they were sitting. A man had falling and knocked into a table, but then happily accepted another drink.

Tommy had disappeared again and returned with a second round. Leah quickly took the drink and began to gulp it down.

"Easy there, don't go overboard." Tommy smirked.

"Hey! You forget I'm half Irish too." Leah snipped back jokingly.

Tommy laughed and held out his glass, "To new life." Leah gleefully clinked glasses with him and the both chugged down their drinks.

Leah offered to get the third round, and she returned with two full glasses in hand. Just as she was about to hand her glass to Tommy, a man stepped in between them.

"Hey sweetttttt thinning, come wit me, I'll show you a reeeal partyyy." Leah couldn't help but laugh at the man's obvious drunken state. If she had a sober mind, she would have kicked the man and run away. However, being that she wasn't thinking clearly, she took a swig of her glass and handed it to the drunken man.

"Here you go pal," She giggled. "It seems like this will be your only companion tonight."

Leah moved to step around him, when the man pulled her close against him, spilling the beer all over her and Tommy's jacket. Leah tried to resist him, but she couldn't pry herself away with one hand, and she didn't want to drop the glass. She didn't need to attract more attention.

Suddenly, she felt herself being forced away from the drunken man.

"Oi, stay away from her. She's already got someone to be with."

"Hey, we were just talking, go back to your corner you drunk."

"Who you callin' a drunk, I said stay away from her!" Tommy yelled.

"Tommy, please stop!" Leah half pleaded, half giggled.

Just then another drunk man joined them, "Don't'cha see, there's only one way to settle this. Yah arm wrestle!"

Both Tommy and his opponent seemed to agree. They rounded a table and took their positions. They grabbed each others hands and readied position. Both men began to struggle, and the crowd riled them up. Leah cheered for Tommy, as another man came and replaced Tommy's cigarette. Suddenly, Tommy's arm was slammed down and an uproar came from the table.

Tommy was shocked, "Two outta three, two outta three!" He yelled and the man would have taken him up on his challenge, if a tall, red-headed, first class girl hadn't interrupted.

"So, you think your big tough men? Let's see you do this." She smirked while taking Tommy's cigarettes away from his lips. She then continued to do an old ballet move, forcing herself to stand on the very tips of her toes. As quickly as she went up, she went down and into the arms of the sandy-haired man. Everyone applauded, and it seemed that Tommy's opponent had moved onto another drink.

This gave Tommy and Leah enough time to escape and gain another drink for themselves. After enjoying their last drink, they shared a few more laughs as they began their journey to Leah's room.


	9. You Can't Save Me

**You Can't Save Me**

Tommy and Leah continued their wobbly decent until they finally reached her door. The pair couldn't stop their fit of giggles. Leah leaned her back against the door as her fits subsided. She gave a sigh and smiled at him, mumbling incoherent apologies of his drenched coat as she handed it to him. Tommy shrugged it off and once again reached for her hand. He held it in one and gently stroked it with the other. Leah enjoyed the feeling of his coarse hands messaging her small, pale ones.

He brought her hand to his lips once again. He kissed the top of her hand, and then flipped it around to kiss her wrist, then twice more, going up forearm, stopping right below her elbow. Throughout the whole process, Tommy had slowly pulled her closer to him. Tommy stared into her eyes adoringly, and then moved to close the gap in between them.

Tommy's lips were dry but gentle. Leah accepted them. She could smell and taste hints of alcohol and cigarette, but she didn't care. She wanted to melt into him. And for a time, she did. She pushed herself against him, swinging both arms around his neck. Tommy held onto her, a caring, secure hold, and Leah felt safe.

However, she soon began to realize what was happening, and she knew what she could not do. She reluctantly pulled away from Tommy.

"Tommy…no…we can't." She mumbled breathlessly.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"We…we just can't. I can't. You don't want someone like me."

"How can I not want someone like you? Leah, you are different than any woman I've met. You are so much better than you give yourself credit for."

Leah finally pulled away completely, and openly snapped at him.

"You don't get it, do you? You have an opportunity to start a brand new life. You don't want someone like me around. I'm no good. I'm nothing more than a desolate street rat."

"It's all the more reason to stay with me. Leah, I don't know what it is, but I feel different when I'm around you. Stay with me, I promise nothing will happen to you."

"Tommy…" Leah looked away as a tear rolled down her cheek. Tommy went to wipe it away, but she flinched. "Don't, please don't."

"Leah, I know this probably sounds crazy, but you don't have to be alone in this world. Let me be here for you. Let me help you."

Leah's hand secretly reached for the doorknob.

"You can't save me." Leah whispered as she let herself into her room, closing the door in Tommy's face.

Leah locked the door and collapsed on her bed. She felt lost now, and truly alone. Tommy deserved better than her. He shouldn't have to suffer because of her. He deserved a good life, one she knew she could not give. Leah gripped her pillow and sobbed into it.

She wasn't sure if she was crying for herself, for Tommy, for her parents, or the fact that she had lost any chance that she had to feel love again.

Tears had dried against Leah's face as she awoke the next day. She had no idea what time it was, or how long she had slept, or cried.

There was a sudden banging on her door. Leah was about to ignore it when the banging continued. She literally crawled out of bed and slowly made her way to the door. She threw it opened and was met face to face with Officer Phillips.

"Why hello there street rat." Officer Phillips sneered. He grabbed her by her arm and dragged her down the hallway. Leah tried to struggle, but soon, gave up the fight. She had lost everything, what more could they take from her.


	10. Heart's Captive: Lemon

**Heart's Captive**

Leah was taken down to the very bottom of the ship and thrown into a random office. She turned to face the Officer, and was immediately slapped across the face.

"I knew you were up to no good you dirty little whore." The Officer exploded.

"What time is it?" Leah muttered.

"Early afternoon, not like it really matters for you." He snarled. "I knew you were nothing more than a common thief. You see, many things have seemed to have gone missing. The dinner rolls, a man's coat and hat and you have seemed to disappear as well."

"Get your sources in check; I was on deck all day." Snapped Leah, earning her another slap across the face.

"Don't talk back to me you little bitch! I've done some searching, and found your ticket, or should I say, stolen ticket?"

Leah just glared at him.

"What would the Captain think, or even your precious Irish fool? What would your parents think, if they found out that their daughter was a no good thief who smuggled her way onto a ship."

"That family was turned away; it would have been a wasted ticket. Does it really matter whose name is on it?"

"Normally, no, but honestly," He said, gripping her closer. "I just don't like you. I've seen your kind. You think that just because you're a young girl with big puppy dog eyes that you can get away with anything. Sure, you steal now, but then what? Murder to survive?"

"You're crazy!" She yelled.

Officer Phillips grabbed in a choke hold and knocked her against the wall.

"Just wait until the Captain hears of your little escapades. You won't even get to see American soil. We'll have you on the fastest barge back, or we can just send you straight to American prison. Until then, enjoy the rest of your stay here," He laughed, tying her wrists to the pipes with some rope.

"What? No big boy handcuffs?" She smirked. Earning her another slap across the face.

"Be a good girl, or believe me, I'll come deal with you myself." He whispered into her ear, causing her to shiver in disgust.

As Officer Phillips left her, she didn't even bother to struggle against the ropes. She was truly alone, and this is where she would remain.

Leah hadn't even realized that she had dozed off. She was awoken with a jolt and a hand pressed against her mouth. Leah was in total disbelief.

"How did you find me?" She whispered.

"I went to your room a little while ago; a family told me that they saw Officer Phillips take you toward the bottom. I'm glad I finally found you." Tommy said with a sigh of relief. He quickly untied her hands and pulled her to her feet. He went to pull her out of the room.

They ran up towards her room, praying that they wouldn't run into Officer Phillips or anymore of his minions. They ran down a few halls, and were close to Leah's room, when Leah pulled him into an empty corridor.

Tommy looked confused and was about to question her, when she put a hand to his lips.

"Look, Tommy. I know I have nothing to offer you, hell; I had to pickpocket my ticket on here. But, I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry about last night. You just deserve so much better…"

Tommy interrupted her by pulling her into a quick kiss.

"When will you realize that you're honestly as good as it gets." He whispered to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Leah quickly pulled Tommy towards her, connecting his eager lips with her own. The two fell against the wall, still clingy to each other. Leah gripped onto him tighter, with a new found hunger to be close to him. Tommy hitched her leg around his waist, in an effort to be closer through their constraint of clothes.

Tommy couldn't help but run his hands along her sides, as Leah sighed blissfully. However, their moment was soon interrupted by the slamming of a door, Leah's door.

The two immediately froze in their positions as they listen to the voice intently.

"I don't know where that little bitch could have gone, she's not where I left her and she's not in the room!" Yelled Officer Phillips. "Search on deck!" He ordered. Leah and Tommy listened closely for all footsteps to flee before rushing inside Leah's room and locking the door.

"You better go; he could be back any minute." Leah warned.

"I'll take that chance." Whispered Tommy huskily. Pulling her towards him once again. "There's just something I need to tell you first…"

"Anything…" She mumbled. Tommy sat her on her bed and crouched in front of her. Leah took this as her opportunity to slip off her shoes.

"Leah, I know you claim that you have nothing to offer me, but I really don't care. When I'm with you, I feel different. I'd offer you the world if I could." Tommy slowly weaved his hands with hers. "I hope that when we dock, you decide to stay with me. I don't just want to help you; I want to be with you." With that, he reached around his neck and yanked off a ring that was attached to a string. "This was my mother's ring; she gave it to me for good luck. At first I laughed, thinking, I don't need a ring to give me luck, but now I know, the ring brought me to you. And I hope you wear it, in hopes that it brings you luck and, I don't know, maybe motivate you to stay with me."

Leah couldn't believe it. Was he proposing to someone he just met? No, not a marriage proposal, this was a life proposal. This would mean that they would stay with each other and help each other in hopes of creating a new life for them. Perhaps in the future, that could lead to marriage. Life has a funny, funny way of working out.

Leah met his intense gaze and gave him the warmest smile she could. She couldn't even bring herself to words; she just gave an excited nod. With that, Tommy slipped the ring onto her finger, string and all, and connected with her lips. Leah's arms quickly grabbed him to bring him back with her. It was tight in the small bunk, but she didn't care. She needed to be closer to him.

They kissed for several moments, running their hands along each other, gently caressing each other, marveling in their sense of touch. They finally broke apart, gasping for air, and Tommy held her face close to his.

Before he even had to ask, she gave him a knowing look, and their lips were locked once again. This time, they were more eager, hungrier, and more lustful than before. Tommy worked to kick off his shoes as Leah rearranged his suspenders so she could snatch his shirt and undershirt. Leah planted kisses along his shoulders and at the base of his neck. Tommy attacked her neck as well, as his hands began to untie the strings on the front of her dress. He then slid his hands through the slits of her undershirt, pulling it open. He lifted her slightly to remove her top from her shoulders, leaving her clothed from the waste down.

Leah shivered as Tommy's hand cupped one of her breasts. His fingers gently kneaded it as his mouth danced across her collarbone and moved to her other breast. Leah sighed in pleasure and let her hands wound into his curly locks, keeping his head in place. His kisses trailed downward, towards her naval, where his sly hands proceeded to pull off the rest of her dress, her stockings and knickers.

His lips then came back up to capture hers once again, as her hands shakily fumbled with his belt buckle. Finally freeing him of the constraining belt, she moved to undue his pants buttons, slowly caressing him in the process. Tommy softly groaned as her hands innocently touched him, trying to free him of his pants. Finally, Tommy helped pull them down and kicked them off.

Their eyes bore into each other; it was as if they were trying to see the world through each other's eyes. Leah moved her head into the crook of his neck, bracing both hands on his back. Tommy's left hand went behind the sole of her back, carefully lifting her up, while his right playfully trickled down her left thigh. He gently massaged the outside of her thigh, swiftly pulling around to his waist and moving his hand to the inside. His fingers slowly rubbed her folds, making Leah to moan slightly. His fingers touched and teased her, causing her hips to slightly buck.

One of her hands moved its way from his back to grasp him in her hand. Tommy's breath became hitched in his throat as she too began to stroke and tease him. The lips met in a passionate lock, tongues dueling intensely as they're strokes became more urgent. Soon Tommy removed his hand from her and placed it over Leah's hand that was gripping him. The both of them carefully guided him in, causing Leah to give a slight cry of pain.

Once he was inside, Tommy used his now free hand to thumb away Leah's tears, as Leah's other hand gripped his back. Leah kissed his cheek and his lips once again, giving him the signal that she was alright. Tommy, slowly at first, began to move inside Leah. At first, it was awkward and uncomfortable for her, but soon her pained subsided. She pushed her thighs further apart, wanting to receive him fuller. Tommy gladly obliged giving slow but harder thrusts into her. Soon Leah adapted to his motions, and they moved as one. Leah's moans grew louder as Tommy's pace grew. Leah began to feel an amazing sensation growing in the pit of her stomach; she gripped the back of his head as she felt Tommy's hot, rapid breaths at the crook of her neck.

Tommy supported one of her thighs as his thrusts grew frantic. By the sound of his constant groans, Leah could tell that Tommy was feeling that same burning sensation she was. Tommy was throbbing inside of her and her walls were clenching around him. He didn't know how much longer he could last. Leah could feel the end drawing near as the burning became fiercer. Leah squeezed her eyes shut, and threw her head back, moaning Tommy's name loudly as the burning finally exploded within her. She clung to him as the tremors shook her. Tommy held her tightly against him as he felt himself spill into her mid thrust.

Tommy, gently thrusting a few more times, collapsed on top of her. They held each other tightly, feeling secure in one another's arms. Both of them were gasping loudly for breath, and softly planting kisses on each others cheeks, foreheads and lips. Tommy easily shifted, while still inside her, onto his back, pulling her on top of him. His arms securely held her as she continued to tremble. Once she stopped shaking, her hand reached for a blanket that had been shooed aside and covered them. Leah laid her head on his warm, chest and wished she could melt into him. Tommy moved to grasp her hand, which had been currently playing with the hairs on his chest. He kissed her forehead once more, sighed in content, and closed his eyes. Leah too sighed in content, and felt sleep began to take hold of her. She was happy to fall asleep, because she felt warm and safe, and enjoyed that they were still connected as one.


	11. Cold As Ice

**Cold as Ice**

Tommy's eye sleepily fluttered open. For a second he had to remember where he was, what he had done, and who he was still in. Tommy couldn't fight the smile as the memories came back to him. He gently squeezed the sweet armful that was silently snoozing. Leah's eyes slowly opened as well.

"What time is it?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"It's late, I should probably go." Tommy yawned. Leah's arms quickly hugged him close to her. "I'll be back tomorrow morning, you need your sleep."

"Please stay here."

Tommy kissed her once again on her forehead and gently slipped himself out of her. He then proceeded to get dressed, handing Leah her clothes as well. Leah just plopped her clothes on the bed as she clung the sheet to her and looked up at him with a pout.

"There are four beds; I don't see why you can't stay."

Tommy laughed and pulled her close to him. He slowly kissed her lips as his hands rand up and down the smooth material of the sheet.

"Get dressed and go to sleep. It'll be morning soon. Let me go dream of you." He whispered huskily. Leah reluctantly let go and sat down on her bed with a bounce. Tommy gave a smile and grabbed her hand.

"Until the morning, love." He kissed her hand and slipped outside her room. Leah tiredly put her clothes back on and flopped back onto her bed. She reveled in the fact that her bed still smelt like him. She surrounded herself in the sheets and pillow, breathing him in. She laughed when she realized how cramped the bed truly was.

'No wonder he wanted to leave.' She thought with a slight smile.

Leah allowed her eyelids to close once again, as she dreamt of the Irish men she was proud to call hers. As Leah slept, she dreamt of her future, and how it now seemed brighter. She dreamt of the house her and Tommy would raise together. She dreamt of seeing his face every morning, and loving him each night. She dreamt of the children they'd raise, a little boy that was a spitting image of his father. She couldn't help but think of how crazy this was, she had just met Tommy and she was all set to spend forever with him. Her life had never made sense though, so why should her new found future be any different.

Leah had fallen into the deepest of sleeps. She hadn't slept that good in a while. She forgot all thoughts of struggle, Officer Phillips, and the past. She forgot everything and just slept. She was asleep so soundly that she didn't even feel the shudder of the shop and its sudden stop. She was locked in dreamland, and was content to remain there.

Tommy, however, awoke with a start. He quickly jumped down to feel a cold wetness by his feet. Someone in his room flicked on the light and he saw that there room was slowly being flooded. Tommy grabbed on his shoes and his bag and headed out of his room. He wasn't even fully dressed, he just ran for it.

Running down, he saw his friend Fabrizio walking into the hall. Fabrizio obviously has no idea what's going on. Tommy shouts at Fabrizio and he quickly hurries to gather his belongings and join Tommy. The two if them rushed into a mob of other passengers, following a group of rats.

"If this is the direction the rats are runnin', it's good enough for me." Tommy quickly said while pulling on his brown sweater. Suddenly, a realization hit him; Leah.

He quickly came to a halt, and Fabrizio just looked at him in confusion.

"I've got to go back; I'll catch up with you." Tommy said pushing his bag into Fabrizio's arms. Tommy could here Fabrizio yelling something at him in Italian, but he didn't care. He needed to reach Leah.

Dodging panicking families, Tommy ran through the hall frantically calling Leah's name. He hastily reached her door and banged on it as loud as he could, praying that she was still in there.

Leah could distantly hear the sound of banging and her name faintly being called. Finally, she began to come out of her sleep mode and awoke with a jolt. She rolled to get out of bed but landed in a pool of icy water. She sat up with a shriek, which only made Tommy pound on her door harder. She crawled to the door and picked herself up. As she opened the door, he burst in, hugging her tightly.

"We have to go now!" He said with worry written all over his face.

Leah grabbed her bag and shot him a nervous glance, "What's happening?"

"The ship's sinking, we gotta move!" He said grabbing her hand and pulling her down the hallways. Their footsteps made splashes all along the hall, but they didn't care. Hand in hand, they hurried as fast as they could.


	12. Sinking into the Abyss

**Sinking into the Abyss**

They had finally reached the crowded stairwell. There were men, women and children all trying to push against the locked gate. Both of them grabbed lifejackets and slipped them on. From a distance, they could see Fabrizio with a blonde woman by the name of Helga. Tommy pulled Leah through the crowd towards Fabrizio who tossed him his bag. Tommy turned to see Leah, who was soaked from her fall, shivering from the cold. He quickly dug through his bag and grabbed a brown sweater, much like the one he was wearing. Quickly putting it over her, Leah accepted it gratefully.

"This ought to help." He exclaimed smiling. The oversize sweater fit her loosely, even with the lifejacket underneath, but it was still something. "Come on." He said, dropping his bag and taking her hand. Leah dropped her bag by his as well as they moved toward the crowd on the stairs. Tommy pushed his way through, taking Leah with him.

They some how managed to reach the top, to see an angry crewman trying to force the people back down the stairs. Tommy motioned Leah in front of him, so she was propped up against the gate. Leah could hear Tommy's voice booming from behind her.

"You can't keep us locked up in here like animals, the ship's bloody sinking!"

Finally the men decided to open the gate but make it clear that they want women and children only. Panicked men, however, tried to force their way through. Tommy tried with all his might to push Leah to the open side. A crewman tried to grab her, but just as she gets to the other side, she's pushed over. She turned to look back, and the gates are closed, with Tommy locked behind them. He is also bent down from a blow one of the crewman have done to his shoulder.

"Go, I'll meet you on deck." He tells her while trying to suppress a wince. Leah casts him pleading eyes, but Tommy casts them right back. "I promise I'll find you."

With one last glace back. Leah turns to run up to the deck, she can still hear Tommy's voice yelling at the crewman.

"For the love of God, man, there are children down here! Let us up, so we can have a chance!"

Leah kept on running, she figured that the faster she could get to the deck, the faster her and Tommy could escape. She would need to find Tommy first, but she was confident she would.

Leah bolted as fast as she could. There were so many people; she was trying to dodge them while trying to make her way up the stairs. People were yelling, crying, and screaming, it was getting really crazy really fast. Crowds began to form around the boats, and they were being lowered fast. Leah ran past a small orchestra playing music, probably trying to calm the passengers. BLeah knew why no one was listening; she knew why there was such panic among the crowds. The boats were disappearing and there were still hundreds of passengers still on board. People were going to die.

Leah kept dodging people, desperately looking for Tommy, when some strong force yanked her hair. Leah was soon face to face with her current worst nightmare, Officer Phillips. His face was red and he was breathing heavily.

"I don't know how you escaped, but I promise you, you will pay."

"What have I done? Can't you just leave me alone? We're sinking for God's sake!" Leah cried.

"Because I witnessed you're crime and I know you're behind all the others. No one disrespects our authority while I'm on duty. Besides I know your type. Well, sorry sweetheart, the world doesn't work like that."

His face came close to hers, and she could smell the whiskey on his breath. Now Leah realized why he was acting so rashly in public, plus, it was complete chaos, no other crewman would be able to save her. Officer Phillips pulled out a pistol from his pocket and Leah's eyes widened with fear. She tried to struggle but his grip grew. The pistol was cocked and ready to be fired. Leah let out a scream that was drowned in the cries of other.

Suddenly, there was a jolt and she was forced onto the ground. She saw Tommy struggling against Officer Phillips. Phillips was vivid and furiously trying to shake him off. Tommy twisted his arm, forcing Phillips to drop the gun. Tommy was able to kick the gun, and deliver a skull cracking punch to Officer Phillips. He swaggered back and fell overboard.

Leah ran into Tommy's arms and buried her head into his chest.

"Are you alright?" He asked, slightly out of breath. Leah nodded against his breast, and then quickly lifted her head to meet his lips. Their kiss was quick though and they were speeding off in some direction. The two of them then joined another group of three. Leah recognized them as the sandy-haired man, the red-headed girl and the Italian from before. The red-headed girl exchanged a few words with a Colonel and they were off.

They passed the orchestra.

"Music to drown by, now I know I'm in first class." Tommy joked.

They finally reached a crowded area which they knew had to be a boat. The sandy-haired man told them that she should check the other side, and then three of them were off.

They climbed and dodged all across to the other side of the ship. They saw another crowd of men, which they realized had to be another boat. They made there way to the front, but Tommy quickly put Leah behind him when he saw that the crewman had guns.

Tommy turned his head to the side, and shouted back at her, "You need to get on this boat."

"I'm not leaving without you. If you don't go, I'm not going." Leah argued, with her arms tightly around his waist.

There was more shouting among the men.

"Leah, please, you need to get on that boat." Tommy then turned his head to yell back at a screaming crewman, "Give us a chance to live, you limey bastards!"

"Get back!" The crewman screamed.

"Bastards!" Tommy yelled frustrated. The Italian man hovered close to them, trying to witness the area.

"Tommy, I'm not leaving without you!" Leah urged, still clinging to his back.

Money was then being thrown at a tall upperclassman. The crewman named Mr. Murdoch was shouting for everyone to get back.

"Leah, please!"

"How can I honestly leave you? Why would you want me to leave you?"

"Because I love you Leah!"

Leah's heart skipped a beat. A gunshot was fired at a man who was trying to climb over to the boat. Suddenly, a man bumped into Leah and Tommy, shoving both of them forward. A gunshot was fired, and Leah's heart stopped completely.


	13. Surviving Life

**Surviving Life**

Leah let out a scream, her heart had completely stopped, and her world as she knew it came crashing down. Tommy's body collapsed against hers, and she fell to her knees trying to support his head.

"Tommy! Bastaldo!" Screamed his Italian friend.

Leah's eyes welled as Tommy's life began to slip away from here.

"Tommy, please don't leave me. Please hold on." She cried, but his eyes were slowly becoming lifeless. "I love you too." She whispered and gently kissed his lips. She could taste the blood on his lips but she didn't care. His lips kissed her back but a second later became still. She could feel his breath leaving him.

There was another gun shot and Mr. Murdoch fell into the water, apparently killing himself. Leah didn't care. She no longer cared that the ship was sinking, she no longer cared that there was panic and hysteria around here, she no longer cared if she lived or died. Her future was suddenly ripped from her. She no longer had a reason to live.

Leah and Tommy's Italian friend stayed with him, mourning the loss of their friend. And for Leah, it was the loss of her lover. Water soon began to spill over the front of the boat. Tommy's friend began to untie the strings of his life vest. As he struggled to put it on, he looked over at Leah.

"He would want us to live. Best of luck to you."

Leah shifted herself so she was to the side of Tommy. She rested her head on his chest as the water rushed around them. She didn't want to leave him, but he would want her to live. He wanted her to have a future life.

"I'll never forget you." She cried, kissing his cheek and lips once again. She fought against the rushing water, waiting until he had slowly drifted away. Once he was gone, she turned, with a new found determination to find herself a lifeboat.

Stumbling across a mass of people, she was suddenly swept into the icy water. She struggled to keep her head up as the air was punched out of her lungs. The water was so cold; she didn't know what hit her. There were panicking men all around her, crying in agony. She was struggling to swim and keep away from the men, who would surely push her under. If it wasn't for the life vest underneath the sweater, she would have been a goner.

She kept swimming, until she finally saw the tall upperclassman standing in a vacant boat. He was hitting men trying to swamp them, and there was a child crying in a woman's arms. Leah made it her goal to try and get to that boat.

She swam with all her might, with the boat in her focus. Suddenly, she heard a snapping sound behind her. There were several more snapping sounds and she watched with horror as one of the smoke towers came thundering down. As it did, the after effects sent an enormous wave her way. Leah tried her best to ride the wave as it sent her plummeting towards the boat.

Once she finally got to the edge, she gripped the sides and desperately tried to pull herself aboard. Two women and a male saw her struggling and aided her in climbing on. She shakily thanked them and she sat in between them, attempting to gain some kind of warmth.

"Darling, take off that sweater, it's absolutely soaked."

"No…thank you. I would like to keep it on if you don't mind." Leah chimed defensively.

So there she sat, huddled in between a group of people, in a tiny rescue boat, watching one of the most horrific sights you could ever imagine. Men who had climbed aboard were trying to paddle the boat away from the scene, but it would remain burned in Leah's brain. The screams, the splitting of the ship, the initial sinking, and of course, the love that she had lost.

The men pulled the boats further and further away. Soon a crewman ordered that more people join their boat. They thought it would be a last effort to try to save those still trapped in the water. All grew quiet and still. Leah shivered within the constraints of the boats. Her eyelids were heavy, but she couldn't sleep. The scene that was just in front of her would haunt her for the rest of her life.

There she sat, waiting for some kind of absolution for the life, that once again, she was ready to give up.


	14. A New Chance

**A New Chance**

Leah awoke feeling strangely warm and somewhat dry. She lifted herself up to find a blanket around her, and she was situated on another ship. There were many families crying, realizing that they'd lost someone special. Leah couldn't cry, she didn't want to, because she knew deep down that she wouldn't be able to stop.

She sat soon found herself seated next to four women. One was clearly in her thirties with her two daughters next to her, and the other woman had to be in her fifties. Leah paid no attention to them; she was too busy gazing at Tommy's ring that still lay upon her finger.

"Ah, married are you? Lost him in the sinking didn't you?"

Leah stared at her as a crewman came up to them, taking their names. By then, a light drizzle had begun to play upon them.

"Don't worry, they're never truly gone." The elder woman, who had just identified herself as Janice Montgomery said.

When the man turned to Leah, she simply started at the ring, before giving her answer.

"My name is Leah Ryan."

She would keep him with her always.

"Do you have a place to stay, dear?" Janice had asked her. Leah simply shook her head with a 'no'. "Well, dear, I'm getting old, and I could use some help around my house and in my family's store that's underneath. In exchange, I'll let you stay with me, just until you can stand on your own two feet. Would you like to help an old woman out?"

Leah was shocked. "Yes, of course, but why me?"

"Because dear, this is supposed to be the land of opportunity. Who am I not to offer the one I have to someone who needs it?"

Leah thanked her, for she was extremely grateful. She had a place to stay and work, maybe her luck was changing after all.

-Two Months Later-

Leah was happy to be working in Janice's store. Leah would be paid for the hours she put in at the store, and Leah was allowed to stay in her home if she promised to clean and cook. Life seemed pretty well, but something was missing. He was still missing in her life. She found herself imagining he was next to her in bed. She dreamed of the time they'd shared in her cabin. Him kissing her, touching her, moving inside her. She missed him.

Finally after a long day of work, she went up to her room and just collapsed. She let everything come crashing down around her. Sobs and tremors racked her body. All the emotion she was trying to push away was finally coming through; it was the first time she had allowed herself to cry. And like she had predicted, she found she couldn't stop. She cried herself to sleep, and her tears even carried over to the next morning.

Janice understood, and allowed her to stay in bed that day. She closed the store, knowing that one day wouldn't completely kill business. Janice too had lost a husband, and so she understood what Leah must have been feeling. They had talked about it when they met on the ship. That was why Janice felt drawn to Leah. She could tell Leah was young and in love, and losing that love could wreck a girl's entire world. She figured that they would be able to help each other as they put the pieces of their lives back together.

-Six Months Later-

Leah's knuckles turned white as she gripped the bars next to her bed. She groaned in utter agony as another contraction hit her.

"Come on dear, you can do this." Janice encouraged her.

"Janice, I can't." Leah panted, letting her head drop back onto the pillow.

"Sweetie, you can do this, please don't give up!"

Leah knew very well that she couldn't do this. How could she raise a child on her own? It wasn't fair. Tommy should have been there, holding her hand, about to watch his child being born. Leah then glanced at the ring that was still against her finger. He was still with her, he was still watching.

Leah pulled herself up. She continued to push, praying that the pain would soon end.

"Keep going dear, you're doing great. The head is just about free."

Leah gave a scream, as pain continued to hit her in waves, but she refused to give up. Tommy wouldn't want her to give up. With a death grip on the bars, she gave one last final push and the pain was suddenly gone. She collapsed onto the bed as the sound of crying filled her ears.

"Oh dear, it's a beautiful boy!" Janice squealed, wrapping up the baby and handing him to his mother. Leah's son was small and chubby, with gorgeous blue eyes, eyes like the ocean, and eyes like his father. "What will you call him?"

"Tommy, after his father." Leah sighed, kissing her child on his head.

Life went on after that. Leah took a few days to rest and to be with her son, but then it was back to work. She had saved up a good amount, but enjoyed working. Janice was a great help, and Janice even offered to watch the baby. As years past, Janice passed away; however, she left in her will everything she had to Leah. Leah had a home, she had a job, she had a family, and she had a life. She considered herself very lucky.


	15. Luck of the Irish

**Luck of the Irish**

Leah sighed contently as she rested against her bed. Carly pressed the stop button on her tape recorder, tears in her eyes and completely blown away.

"Wow." was all Carly could manage to say. Leah smiled and laughed at her. "Thank you for sharing such a deep story with me. I'm truly honored."

"You're welcome dear. You're great-grandfather saved my life; he truly gave me hope to look forward to. He was the only man I've ever loved and have ever been with. It's a shame that he remains only a memory. But in a way, I don't mind that, because I know he's watching over me, and your grandfather, and your father, and you. When someone's leaves you, you're never truly alone. They're always watching you, they're always with you."

Carly smiled a happy yet sad smile. She wished she knew her great-grandmother longer. There were so many things she could have learned from her.

"What other stories can you tell me?"

"I think you have enough for your project dear. I'm sure they don't want an old woman like me rambling on."

"Forget the project, I'm just curious!" Carly exclaimed. The two of them heard a door opening, and Carly's father calling her from a distance.

"Another day dear. Another day." Leah whispered. Carly quickly kissed her great-grandmothers cheek, gathered her supplies and dashed off.

As Carly went to greet her father, he smiled and clapped her on the back. "So, did you get what you needed for the project?"

Carly just beamed at her father, "I guess you can say that."

Later that night, however, the mood was not so happy. Shawn crept into Carly's room as she was hastily writing her paper with a big grin on her face.

"Sweetie, I need to talk to you." He said softly.

"Almost done dad, what's up?"

Shawn moved to turn Carly's computer chair away from her computer. He looked at her with sad eyes. "Darling, you're great-grandma passed away an hour ago."

Carly's jaw fell open. "What? How can that be? We just saw her a little while ago!"

"I'm sorry, dear, but she was very old. It was her time.

Carly simply nodded.

"They're going to hold a wake and a funeral in a few days," He said, leaving the spot on her bed. Carly quickly looked up at her dad, just as he was about to leave the room.

"Hey dad, can I read at the funeral?"

Shawn simply smiles, "I'm sure she'd want that."

As her father left the room, Carly let tears run down her cheeks. She couldn't believe she was gone, merely hours after hearing the most amazing story she had ever heard. She moved to stare at the essay she had written, and then hit play on her tape recorder.

Leah's voice cracked through the small speakers, "When someone's leaves you, you're never truly alone. They're always watching you, they're always with you."

Carly smiled and hit the stop button. Her great-grandmother was right. She wasn't alone. She would always be with her. She was never alone.

Carly quickly began to work on her eulogy for her great-grandmother, knowing exactly what she was going to say. She would mention how her great-grandmother was a true inspiration. She had conquered so much in her life, almost given up hope, found love, started over and basically continued their family by herself.

As her fingers quickly wrote down her words that she would share, her thoughts flickered to where her great-grandmother was resting now.

The once broken and decayed ship of the Titanic was now beautiful and rejuvenated. Leah, as her eighteen year old self wandered the deck, in her favorite frayed dress. Her fingers swept against the railing as she looked out at the calm ocean in front of her. She smiled as she felt a tapping on shoulder, and she turned to meet those familiar ocean eyes, the ones she had always seen in her dreams.

"What took ya so long?" Joked a thick Irish accent.

Leah swung her arms around Tommy's neck, happy to once again be in his embrace.

"So we meet again. I was just raising our family, and passing on our story." She whispered.

The winds gently swayed around them, as their lips met. They felt safe and secure in each others arms. Breaking the kiss, they turned to watch the sunrise, as they sailed together on the Ship of Dreams.


End file.
